2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Q17.4Misplaced ear

ICD-10-CM Codes›Q00-Q99›Q10-Q18›Q17

ICD-10-CM Q17.4
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

Q17.4 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for misplaced ear. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 154 through 156. The code is exempt from POA reporting. Coders also document this condition as congenital malposition of left external ear. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face, neck.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
Q17.4
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Misplaced ear
Short Description
Misplaced ear
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Q17
Other congenital malformations of ear

Code Classification

ChapterQ00-Q99Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
SectionQ10-Q18Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face and neck
CategoryQ17Other congenital malformations of ear
This CodeQ17.4Misplaced ear

Present on Admission (POA)Billing

Q17.4 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review the other POA exempt codes in Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face and neck (Q10-Q18).

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Congenital malposition of left external ear
  • Congenital malposition of right external ear
  • Low set ears
  • Misplaced bilateral ears
  • Misplaced ear
  • Posteriorly rotated ear

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to Q17.4: its own notes plus those printed at Q17, block Q10-Q18, and Chapter 17. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Applicable To

Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.

  • Low-set ears

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

On Q17.4 itself
From Q17 Other congenital malformations of ear applies to 8 codes
  • congenital malformations of ear with impairment of hearing (Q16.0-Q16.9)
  • preauricular sinus (Q18.1)

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

From Block Q10-Q18 Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face and neck applies to 62 codes
  • cleft lip and cleft palate (Q35-Q37)
  • congenital malformation of cervical spine (Q05.0, Q05.5, Q67.5, Q76.0-Q76.4)
  • congenital malformation of larynx (Q31.-)
  • congenital malformation of lip NEC (Q38.0)
  • congenital malformation of nose (Q30.-)
  • congenital malformation of parathyroid gland (Q89.2)
  • congenital malformation of thyroid gland (Q89.2)
From Chapter 17 (Q00-QA1) Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities applies to 900 codes
  • inborn errors of metabolism (E70-E88)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 17 (Q00-QA1) Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities applies to 900 codes
  • Codes from this chapter are not for use on maternal records

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR MAL005
Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face, neck
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Craniofacial Abnormalities

Craniofacial is a medical term that relates to the bones of the skull and face. Craniofacial abnormalities are birth defects of the face or head. Some, like cleft lip and palate, are among the most common of all birth defects. Others are very rare. Most of them affect how a person's face or head looks.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert Q17.4 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
744.29 Ear anomalies NEC
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About Q17.4Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for misplaced ear?

The ICD-10-CM code for misplaced ear is Q17.4 (sometimes written as Q174). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is Q17.4 (Other congenital malformations of ear) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report misplaced ear on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does Q17.4 group to?

When misplaced ear is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 156, 155, 154, with relative weights from 0.6656 to 1.5916 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is Q17.4 exempt from POA reporting?

Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for misplaced ear on inpatient claims. The code appears in the Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face and neck (Q10-Q18) range of the CMS exempt list.

Can Q17.4 be reported with Q18.2?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note on Q17.4 lists "cervical auricle (Q18.2)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).